Police Log - Newport News/hampton/york

December 14, 1989

NEWPORT NEWS

*A sudden drop in temperature Wednesday night created an ice patch on Warwick Boulevard in Denbigh that caused a seven-car pileup, although there were no serious injuries.

The chain-reaction accident was set off about 7:20 p.m. at Warwick Boulevard and Woodhaven Road, when the driver of a northbound 1984 Ford Tempo tried to slow down and then lost of control on an ice patch that had formed when the temperature dropped dramatically in a span of 45 minutes, said Police Officer Chris Wells.

The Tempo was hit by a second Ford, said Wells. Although the third car in the pileup stopped before hitting the first two, that car was rear-ended by a fourth car and then three additional cars joined the icy snarl.

Wells said northbound traffic on Warwick Boulevard was tied up about 30 minutes before the pileup was untangled. He estimated the damage to the seven cars at about $6,400.

*A 16-year-old Menchville High School student was arrested by Newport News police in the school Wednesday morning and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

The youth, who lives on the 900 block of Marcus Drive, was charged in connection with an Oct. 12 incident in which a school security guard saw him pass a bag containing five rocks of cocaine to another student.

The cocaine was confiscated that day, but the youth was not formally charged until a laboratory analysis proved the substance was cocaine, police said.

HAMPTON

*A 33-year-old Hampton man was charged Tuesday with the attempted robbery Dec. 4 of a patient at Sentara Hampton General Hospital.

Jesse Epps Jr. of the 1200 block of LaSalle Avenue allegedly went into an elderly patient's room and tried to take money out of the patient's hand, said Detective Lt. Tom Townsend.

A struggle ensued and the patient was able to hold on to the money.

*Chris Walters, 22, of the 300 block of Columbia Avenue in Hampton, was charged by city police with armed robbery in connection with a Nov. 25 holdup in which he allegedly took a woman's purse in the parking lot of Toys R US at 4019 W. Mercury Blvd.

YORK

*A 48-year-old Hampton woman was injured in a traffic accident believed weather related at Route 143 and Country Club Drive in the upper part of York County near Williamsburg.

Ethel Broadnax of the 200 block of Woodbryn Forest Drive was treated at Williamsburg Community Hospital and released.

State Trooper P.M. Russell said Broadnax's car spun out of control when it hit some slush, went into the oncoming lane of traffic and collided with another car. The driver of the second was not injured. Total damage to the cars was estimated at about $8,000.

Broadnax was cited for failure to maintain proper control of her vehicle.

*About $6,300 in jewelry and electronics was stolen from a home in the 100 block of Kicotan Turn in the Tabb area of York County sometime between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Tuesday, sheriff's investigator Nelson Hollandsworth said.